Method of producing textiles on knitting machines

ABSTRACT

A method of producing a textile fabric on a multi-needle stitching machine comprising the steps of feeding at least one film comprised of a synthetic polymer into said stitching machine, actuating said machine, whereby said film is split into a plurality of film elements and simultaneously integrated in the ongoing textile manufacture, and collecting said manufactured textile.

Unite States Patent [1 1 Ploch et al.

[ 1 Nov. 6, 1973 METHOD OF PRODUCING TEXTILES 0N KNITTING MACHINES [75]Inventors: Siegfried Ploch; Walter Scholtis;

Heini Gerischer; Heinz Zschunee; Karl-Heinz Dietrich, all ofKarl-Marx-Stadt, Germany [73] Assignee: Forschungsinstitut furTextiltechnologie, Karl-Marx-Stadt, Germany [22] Filed: Dec. 14, 1970[21] Appl. No.: 97,823

[52] US. Cl 66/85 A, 66/191, 66/192, 66/202, 28/DIG. l [51] Int. Cl.D04b 23/10, D04b 23/08 [58] Field of Search 66/84, 85, 85 A, 66/86 R,190-195, 202; 28/DIG. 1, 77, 1 CS; 1 12/410 [56] References Cited UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,474,611 10/1969 Suzuri et a1 28/D1G. 1 3,336,645 8/19673,283,788 11/1966 Bottomley et al. 28/DlG. 1 3,427,654 2/1969 Rasmussen28/D1G. 1

3,542,267 Il/1970 lda 28/1 CS OTHER PUBLlCATlONS 1,285,089, 12-1968,German Application, (Kaps). New Fabrics Without Weaving by K. W. Bahlo,Papers of The American Association for Textile Technology lnc., November1955 pp. 51-54.

Developments in Slit and Split Film Textiles by J. E. Ford Textile MonthDecember 1968 pp. 79-81. "Mali-Techniques-Present and FuturePotentialities," by K. W. Bahlo Knitted Outerwear Times November 25,1968 pp. 61-63.

Primary Examiner-James Kee Chi Attorney-Nolte and Nolte [57] ABSTRACT 1A method of producing a textile fabric on a multi needle stitchingmachine comprising the steps of feed ing at least one film comprised ofa synthetic polymer into said stitching machine, actuating said machine,whereby said film is split into a plurality of film elements andsimultaneously integrated in the ongoing textile manufacture, andcollecting said manufactured textile.

10 Claims, 18 Drawing Figures Patented Nov. 6, 1973 3,76%,315

7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS SIEGFRIED PLOCH WALTER SCHOLTIS HEINIGERISCHER HEINZ ZSCHUNKE KARL-HEINZ DIETRICH BY M M ATTORNEYS PatentedNov. 6, 1973 7 Sheets-Sheet A INVENTORS SIEGFRIED PLOCH WA LTERS'CHOLT/S HE/NI GERJSCHER HEINZ ZSCHUNKE FIG.3

KARL-HEINZ DIETRICH BY %ZZZ 77% ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 6, 19733,769,815

7 Sheets-Sheet L) INVENTORS SIEGFRIED PLOCH WALTER SCHOLTIS HEINIGER/SCHER HEINZ ZSCHUNKE KARL-HEINZ DIETRICH ATTORNEY Patented Nov.6,1973 I 3,769,8i5

'7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOHS W L S L 6 HEINI GERISCHER HEINZ ZSCHUNKEKARL-HEINZ DIETRICH BY WM 7% ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 6, 1973 '7Sheets-Sheet s,

FIG. 8

FIG. 9

INVENTORS SIEGFRIED PLOCH WALTER SCHOLT/S HEINI GER/SCHER HEINZ ZSCHUNKEKARL-HEINZ DIETRICH BY 77% g? M FIG/O ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 6, 1973 EGI ii i u km vokw Q at mm INVENTORS SIEGFRIED PLOCH WALTER SCHOLTISHEINI GERISCHER HEINZ ZSCHUNKE KARL-HEINZ DIETRICH BY g /fl AT TORNEYYSPatented Nov. 6, 1973 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS SIEGFRIED PLOCH WALTERSCHOLTIS HE/N/ GERISCHER HEINZ ZSCHUNKE KARL-HE/NZ DIETRICH ATTORNEYSMETHOD OF PRODUCING TEXTILES ON KNITTING MACHINES The present inventionrelates to a method of producing textiles on warp knitting machines ormulti-needle stitching machines (hereinafter generically referred to bythe latter terminology) which insert stitches into a base material whichmay be layers of continuous filaments, a fiber web or bat, a wovenfabric or the like, these multi-needle stitching machines beinggenerally known as Mali machines and including Malir no, Malipol andMaliwatt machines (New Fabrics Without Weaving by K. W. Bahlo, Papers ofthe American Association for Textile Technology lnc., November, 1965,pp. 51-54).

Fibers which have been cut from a thin film have been used for some timepast as components of woven and knitted fabrics. Severed from the filmin a separate cutting process, the so-called flat or film yarns arehighly oriented and therefore very stiff and wiry. Because they lack theproperties which are desirable for textiles, they can be used only for alimited range of articles.

According to one known process, a film which is made of syntheticmaterial is stretched uniaxially before it is cut into narrow strips,strands or filaments. Although the resulting discontinuous web has beenemployed in the manufacture of non-woven textiles, it has been mainlyused in the past for packaging twine, ropes and similar articles. Forsuch purposes the narrow strips, into which the film has been divided,are filamented by compression and a sharp change in direction beforethey are twisted.

For the filamentation of synthetic films, the prior art includes severalother processes which make use of diverse disintegrating machines suchas, for example, brushes and particularly metal brushes. Sonic and/orelectrostatic effects, combined perhaps with mechanical work, have alsobeen used.

Typically, the filamentation of synthetic films or sheets requiresspecial processing or special apparatus, which are supplementary to theprocessing and apparatus adapted to convert the filaments into textiles.The conventional processes furthermore restrict the range ofapplicability for the narrow strips cut from the films and do not fullyexploit the potential offered by such material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, the primary object of thepresent invention to extend the range of applicability and theusefulness of splittable synthetic films for the production of textiles.

A further object is to provide a method of converting a synthetic filmdirectly into a fabric on a warp knitting machine or on a machine inwhich film elements are tied by stitches formed by the warp knitting orthe analogous stitching performed by :1 Mali machine.

Another object is to provide a simple and economic process forconverting synthetic film directly into knitted goods.

These objects and others which will become apparent hereinafter areattained, in accordance with the present invention, by feeding asplittable film, made of synthetic polymers, into a knitting or Malimachine where it is split or filamented by the reciprocal motion of thepointed needles, pins, notched pile bars, eye needles or such. Theresulting filaments or strands are used directly as warp, pile and/orfiller yarn, and as stitching (sewing) yarn.

Films made from high polymers, whether of one or more than one monomericmaterial, commonly known as plastics or thermoplastics," such aspolypropylene, polyethylene, polyacrylonitrile or polyamides and whichcan be oriented by stretching, are well suited as raw material for themethod of the present invention. Such films may be additionally scoredand/or partially slit. According to one preferred embodiment, thevariety of polymer films to be used is to be restricted to those whichare splittable only after they have been scored and/or partially cut. Inoperation, the mechanism of the machine tightens the film, splits itinto film elements and uses the latter as warp, filler or stitchingyarn.

According to a distinctive feature of the present invention, the film issplit not in advance of, but during the fabrication of the textile.Since the film is supplied as an entity, guide devices such as arerequired for separate yarns can be dispensed with. Any one or more orall the different components of a fabric to be produced on one of theabove machines can be derived from a film, that is, for example, thewarp, pile, filler or stitching yarn depending on the intended end-useof the fabric.

The distance is so short between the point where the film is stillunfilamented, and the point where the mechanism of the machine convertsthe split film into a fabric, that it is permissible to speak of adirect processing of the film into a textile, in spite of the mostthorough division of the film into strands and its transformation into aknitted fabric, the strands may still cohere, at least in part, in thefinished article.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the film whichis to supply the filler is folded in zig-zag form and fed transverselyto the operating direction into the machine so that, upon actuation ofthe mechanism, the severed strands are oriented nearly at right anglesthereto.

One or more films may be processed together with a ready-made basematerial (web) which may include, for example, a woven or knittedfabric, a bat, a foam rubber sheet or similar material. A base materialis required, in particular, for the manufacture of plush fabrics on aMalipol machine wherein the strands of a split film are made into pileloops which are stitched into the base material by means of a stitchingyarn. The film is fed into the machine at a higher speed than the baseso that, after splitting of the film the resultant strands may be formedinto a pile.

Before a film is turned into a textile, according to one of the methodsdescribed heretofore, it may be flocked on one or both sides withfibers, for example, by electrostatic deposition, whereby the filamentedstrands are given a fuzzy surface.

The operation and advantages of the present invention will be morereadily apparent from the following examples which are intended toillustrate, without restricting, the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

The invention is illustrated in the attached drawings and subsequentlydescribed in several examples, without being restricted thereto.

FIG. 1 is a partially schematic isometric view, showing the feeding of afilm used as a warp component and the feeding of a film in zig-zag shapeas a weft components, in to a Mali machine.

FIG. 2 is a similar view which, in a different position, shows thestitching (or knitting) elements of the Mali machine, while being fedwith a film as the warp component, a film as the weft component, andwith yarn to be formed into the stitches;

FIG. 3 is a transverse section through the superimposed films formingthe warp and weft components during penetration of the needles of theMali machine, which leads to fibrillating of the films;

FIG. 4 illustrates the stitching elements of a Mali machine when fedwith a film as the warp component, a film as the weft component, and afurther film as the stitching yarn component, including a compacting orstuffing device for the last mentioned film;

FIG. 5 illustrates fibrillation of the film serving as the stitchingyarn component by the eye or guide needles of the Mali machine;

FIG. 6 illustrates fibrillation of the film serving as the stitchingyarn component by the eye needles of FIG. 5 in top view, with thefibrillation taking place in alignment with the needles;

FIG. 7 illustrates fibrillation of the film serving as the stitchingyarn component by the eye needles of FIG. 5 in top view, with thefibrillation taking place between the needles;

FIG. 8 shows Mali fabric in plan view, the warp, weft and stitching yarncomponents of which consist of film;

FIG. 9 shows a section through the fabric of FIG. 8, as taken along theline A-A of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 shows a section through the fabric of FIG. 9 as taken along theline B-B;

FIG. 11 shows a section through a Mali fabric in cross-section, in whicha fiber fleece is arranged between the warp and weft components and inwhich both layers are interconnected by a stitching yarn component;

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal section through the fabric of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 shows the knitting elements of a Mali machine being fed with abase layer and a film as the pile component, including a compactingdevice for this film;

FIG. 14 is a transverse section through a pile material produced inaccordance with FIG. 13, the pile of which is formed from the fed filmand is pulled into thee layer;

FIG. 15 shows the knitting elements of a Mali machine with means forfeeding a base layer, a film as pile yarn component, and stitchingyarns;

FIG. 16 is a transverse section through a pile material made inaccordance with FIG. 15, the tufts of which are formed from film andconnected to the base layer by means of stitching yarns;

FIG. 17 shows a film flocked on both sides with fibers;

FIG. 18 illustrates the knitting elements of a warp knitting machinewhile processing films serving as yarn components and the fabricproduced thereby.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Several preferredembodiments of the invention shall presently be described with referenceto the drawings. Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a first splittablefilm I serving to provide a warp component is fed to the workinglocations of a Malimo machine from a roller 1a, the feeding taking placein longitudinal direction. As a weft component, a second splittable filmor foil 2 is withdrawn from a web having a width of approximately 12inches, the film 2 forming a roll 2a on unwinding rollers 3. From roll2a the film is fed to a trans verse carriage 7 which, in a manner wellknown in connection with Malimo machines, reciprocates between twotransporting chains 5, 6 which run substantially parallel in the workingdirection of the machine. In principle, a transverse carriage may beused as for instance that described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,440,840(Frenzel) and 3,030,786 (Mauersberger) the latter reissued as ReissueU.S. Pat. No. 25,749. The transverse carriage comprises rollers 8, 9 and10 on which the carriage reciprocates along guide rails 11, 12.

Film 2 leaving the slot 13 of the carriage 7 is hung up or placed on thehooked needles of the transporting chains 5, 6 by the carriage at thereversing points of the latter. Chains 5, 6 transport the film which hasbeen folded back upon itself in zig-zag form, to the working location,where it is stitched together with the film l forming the warp componentby means of stitching yarns 14 which are presented to slide needles 15by eye needles 16 of a bar 17, to form stitches, preferably tricotstitches. Knockover bits 18 assure that the slide needles 15 can safelybe pulled from the tricot stitches formed from the stitching yarns l4.Retaining pins 20 arranged on a bar 19 together with a retaining bar 21prevent the produced textile web from being moved along during advanceof the slide needles 15 (FIG. 2). During the stitching process the slideneedles penetrate the film 1, 2 placed one on top of the other and splitthe same. Thus a multitude of netlike film elements extending inlongitudinal and transverse direction are created which, depending onthe film being used, can be fibrillated further.

FIG. 3 shows splitting of the films by slide needles 15, and theformation of longitudinally oriented film elements 1' and oftransversely oriented film elements 2'.

Instead of stitching yarns, a further film can be used for stitching thefilm fed in longitudinal direction to the working location in zig-zagform. As shown in FIG. 4, a film 22 serves as the warp component, a film23 as the weft component, and a film 24 as the stitching (tricotstitches) yarn component. Film 24 is fed to the working location of themachine with a speed which amounts for instance to 2.8 times thewithdrawal speed of the finished fabric. By means of a compacting orstuffing device as shown in principle in U.S. Pat. No. 3,442,101 (Plochet al) and designed as a circular brush 25 (in FIG. 4) extending overthe width of the machine, film 24 is pressed into the hooks of the slideneedles 26 arranged in their front working position, and issimultaneously split. Film 24 with each working cycle is offset to theright or left by one pitch between the needles 26, by the circular brush25. Knockover bits 27 and retaining pins 29 on a bar 28 as well as aretaining bar 30 perform the same functions as described in connectionwith like elements in FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIGS. 5 to 7 illustrate how the stitching of a longitudinally fed film31 and a zigzag-shaped film 32 can also be effected with a film 34 whichis presented to slide needles 35 as split film elements by eye needles36. Film 34 fed to the eye needles 36 is split when passing the eyeneedles, and the thus formed film elements are formed into tricotstitches by the slide needles 35.

When starting the operation, the film ends are being split intoindividual film elements by means of a comb the teeth of which have alength of about 20 cm; and are spaced in accordance with the gauge ofthe Mali machine. The split film elements are then pulled into the eyeneedles 36 by means of a feeding comb well known in warp knitting.

Splitting of film 34' can either be effected in alignment with the eyeneedles 36' (FIG. 6), or the film 34" can be split between the eyeneedles 36" (FIG. 7).

The knockover bits 37 and the counter pins 39 provided at the bar 38 aswell as the counter bar 40 have the same functions as described inconnection with like elements in FIG. 1.

The Mali fabric shown in FIGS. 8 to consists of warp components 41, weftcomponents 42 and stitching yarn components 43 all made from film, andis produced in accordance either with FIG. 4 or with FIG. 5. Thismaterial is especially suitable for decorative purposes and curtains.

As in the Examples 1 and2 described above, as warp component a film isfed to the Mali machine, and as weft component a film in zigzag shape isused. Between the two films a fiber web is arranged. The threesuperimposed layers can be stitched together in accordance either withExample 1 or Example 2. The thus formed material comprises, as shown inFIGS. 11 and 12, film warp component 44, film weft component 45,nonwoven fabric 46 arranged therebetween and the stitching yarncomponent 47 which can either be a conventional yarn or a film element.

According to FIG. 13 a Malipol machine is fed with a backing fabric 48and with a splittable film 49 having a wide surface. The machine isequipped with a compacting device similar to that shown in FIG. 4 and inUS. Pat. No. 3,442,l0l.'Film 49 is grasped by the flat brush 50 of thecompacting device provided with bristles 500, which cooperates with theneedles and is pressed into the hooks of slide needles 51. Needles 51penetrate through film 49 and split the same into a multitude of filmelements. At least as many film elements are formed as there are slideneedles in the machine. By means of the compacting device the film iswith each working cycle, as described in US. Pat. No. 3,442,101, offsetby one pitch of the needles to the right or left and is thereby placedover pile bits 52 of bar 53 arranged between slide needles 5]. In thisway, the film elements form pile tufts 54 on the base layer 48.

Legs 54a of the pile tufts 54 are pulled to the backside of the backingfabric 48 and there formed into stitch segments, thus effecting aconnection of the pile tufts 54 to the backing fabric 48 (FIG. 14).

Knockover bits 55 assure that the slide needles 51 can be removed fromthe stitches formed by the film elements. The counter bar 56 facilitatesthe passage of the slide needles 51 during their advancing movementthrough the backing fabric 48.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, however, it is also possible to affix theyarn elements of the film 58 forming the pile tufts 57 to backing fabric60 by separate yarns 59. In this instance, instead of the compactingdevice, in accordance with FIG. 13, an eye needle bar 61 is provided theeye needles 62 of which receive the film 58. The feeding at thebeginning of the operation is ef fected in the same manner as describedin connection with FIG. 5 (Example 2). During passage of the eye needles62 film 58 is split and the thus formed film elements are placed overpile bits 64 arranged at bar 63 in view of the lateral displacement ofbar 61, and are fixed to the backing fabric 60 as pile tufts 57 by thestitching yarns 59. The yarns 59 are presented to slide needles 66 andare formed by needles 66 into warp knit stitches including stitchsegments 590 (FIG. 16). The pile tufts 57 are bound to thereby formedchains 67 of knit stitches alternately right and left.

Knockover bits 68 assure that the slide needles 66 can be removed fromthe stitches formed by the stitching yarns 59. Counter bar 69facilitates the passage of the slide needles 66 during the advancingmovement thereof through the base material.

Depending on the ability of the film to split, the film elements maybecome split into finer fibers (fibrillated) when subjected to the Maliprocess.

The raw material produced in accordance with FIGS. 13 and 15 can besubjected to treatment on a roughening, ironing, shearing or beatingmachine in order to obtain a plush surface. Prior to this treatment itis recommended to provide a supporting layer on the backside. By meansof well known cutting devices it is of course also possible to cut openthe pile tufts 54, 57. In this way, cut pile for carpets or the like canbe obtained. In accordance with FIG. 18, the working location of a warpknitting machine is fed with two splittable films 70, 71. While'the film70 has a lower splitting ability, film 71 can be split into very finefibres. For purposes of starting the operation, the ends of the filmsare split into individual film elements having a length of approximately20 centimeters, by means of a comb having points arranged in accordancewith the pitch of the needles of the knitting machine. Thereupon, theindividual film elements of film 70 are pulled into eye needles 72 ofrear laying rail 73, and the film elements of film 71 into eye needles74.of front laying rail 75, by means of a feeding comb well known inwarp knitting.

The further splitting of the film in the direction of movement of thefilm is effected by the-eye needles 72, 74 which place the thus formedfilm elements into the hooks of tongue needles 76. The film elements inthe rear laying rail 73 are rounded somewhat during this operation. Thefilm elements in the front laying rail 75 are guided in the eye needles74, are offset at great speed with each stitch, and thereby split intoveryfine fibers (fibrillated).

The rear laying rail 73 executes a tricot pattern, and the front layingrail 75 a 2-needletricot pattern so that the two surfaces of theknitting consist of the finely fibrillated film elements of film 71 andthe thus formed knittedfabric 77 has a closed, tight appearance.

In all the foregoing embodiments, films 67 may be used, as is shown inFIG. 17, which are flocked on both sides with fibers 67a. In this way,the fibrous character of the film elements upon splitting can beenhanced.

From the above, it is apparent that although the invention has beendescribed hereinbefore with respect to certain specific embodimentsthereof, it is evident that many modifications and changes amy be madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, by theappended claims, we intend to cover all such modifications and changesas fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A method of producing a textile fabric on a machine of thewarp-knitting and multiple needle stitching type, comprising the stepsof a. moving fabric elements for the production of said textile fabric,including at least one splittable film comprised of a synthetic polymerand another fabric element, into the machine;

b. splitting said film by motion of needles of the machine into aplurality of film elements in form of filaments and substantiallysimultaneously integrating these filaments with said other fabricelement into said textile fabric, at least one of the fabric elementsconstituting a set of stitching yarns; and

c. collecting the integrated textile fabric.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said integrating of filmelements includes feeding the film elements as warp yarns, lengthwise ofsaid textile fabric.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said feeding includes thefeeding of several splittable films and mutually superposing the same,said penetrating including motions of said needles through thesuperposed films.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, including arranging the film elementssplit from at least one of said films as pile yarns in said textilefabric.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, including arranging the film elementssplit from at least one of said films as weft yarns in said textilefabric, by steps including feeding the respective film in zigzag formtransversely into the machine.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, including stitching by means of saidneedles the film elements split from at least one of said films asstitching yarns in said textile fabric.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, including the step of d. feeding atleast one of said films into said machine together with a base material,but at a higher speed than said base material, whereby film elements,split from said film, are concentrated longitudinally on said basematerial.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, including the steps of e. formingsaid concentrated film elements into pile tufts by pile sinking motionsperformed directly after said splitting of the film;

f. drawing the tufts into said base material by knitting in saidmachine; and

g. binding them into chain stitches or wales on the back side of thebase material.

9. A method as defined in claim 7, including the steps of forming saidconcentrated film elements into pile tufts and fixing the pile tufts tosaid base material by binding separate stitching yarn into chainstitches or wales while the splitting, forming and binding proceeds.

10. A method as defined in claim 8, including the step of cutting saidpile tufts, on said machine, directly after said forming, sinking andbinding.

1. A method of producing a textile fabric on a machine of thewarp-knitting and multiple needle stitching type, comprising the stepsof a. moving fabric elements for the production of said textile fabric,including at least one splittable film comprised of a synthetic polymerand another fabric element, into the machine; b. splitting said film bymotion of needles of the machine into a plurality of film elements inform of filaments and substantially simultaneously integrating thesefilaments with said other fabric element into said textile fabric, atleast one of the fabric elements constituting a set of stitching yarns;and c. collecting the integrated textile fabric.
 2. A method as definedin claim 1, wherein said integrating of film elements includes feedingthe film elements as warp yarns, lengthwise of said textile fabric.
 3. Amethod as defined in claim 1, wherein said feeding includes the feedingof several splittable films and mutually superposing the same, saidpenetrating including motions of said needles through the superposedfilms.
 4. A method as defined in claim 1, including arranging the filmelements split from at least one of said films as pile yarns in saidtextile fabric.
 5. A method as defined in claim 1, including arrangingthe film elements split from at least one of said films as weft yarns insaid textile fabric, by steps including feeding the respective film inzigzag form transversely into the machine.
 6. A method as defined inclaim 1, including stitching by means of said needles the film elementssplit from at least one of said films as stitching yarns in said textilefabric.
 7. A method as defined in claim 1, including the step of d.feeding at least one of said films into said machine together with abase material, but aT a higher speed than said base material, wherebyfilm elements, split from said film, are concentrated longitudinally onsaid base material.
 8. A method as defined in claim 7, including thesteps of e. forming said concentrated film elements into pile tufts bypile sinking motions performed directly after said splitting of thefilm; f. drawing the tufts into said base material by knitting in saidmachine; and g. binding them into chain stitches or wales on the backside of the base material.
 9. A method as defined in claim 7, includingthe steps of forming said concentrated film elements into pile tufts andfixing the pile tufts to said base material by binding separatestitching yarn into chain stitches or wales while the splitting, formingand binding proceeds.
 10. A method as defined in claim 8, including thestep of cutting said pile tufts, on said machine, directly after saidforming, sinking and binding.